Mammootty in Kannada?

Noted Kannada director Abhay Simha, who had made his debut with much-acclaimed offbeat film Gubbachchigalu (Sparrows), will have Malayalam superstar Mammootty in the lead�role in his second venture Shikari. Mammootty is said to be�greatly impressed by the script, penned by the director himself. If�this happens, Shikari will be Mammootty's�debut film in Kannada.

Another�rumour is that top Bollywood actress Konkona Sen Sharma is being considered as the lead lady of this Kannada film and she is likely to accept the offer, her first role in a Kannada film. However, official confirmation on the participation of Mammootty and Konkona Sen Sharma is awaited.

Shikari, which deals with the pre- and post-independence conditions in India, will feature music by Anmol Bhave and cinematography by Vikram Shrivastava. Produced by N.R. Shetty, the maker of the Shivadhwaj starrer Shubham, Shikari is going on the floors in March this year.�Shikari will possibly be dubbed in Malayalam.

Meanwhile, some sources indicated that Mammootty has agreed to act in a Malayalam film to be directed by Oscar-nominated Kerala sound technician Resul Pookutty. This untitled film, which marks the directorial debut of Pookutty, is based on literary giant Anand's famous novel "Govardhanante Yathrakal", which won the prestigious Odakkuzhal award in 1996.